My Music Business Midterm Project (Written By: Patrick Lew)
October 30, 2010 at 10:28 pm
Music Entrepreneurship Midterm -- Q&A w/ Brian Butts
Written by: Patrick Lew
In preparation prior to writing this midterm project for my Music Entrepreneurship course, I’ve tried as a disclaimer to contact the Art ofEars Studio for a Q&A interview. Given my interest in becoming a future prospect to consider recording inside the same recording studio which generated and produced notable punk bands such as Green Day and AFI. Unfortunately, my hopes to conduct an interview session withArt of Ears Studio in Hayward, California, did not materialize soon enough to learn more essential elements within the music field. I stuckto my last resort. Any contacts within my social-networking who are involved making a living in the music business and field of musical entrepreneurship, and was luckily able to secure a phone call interview scheduled via email with Cal State East Bay music department alumni and musical mentor/friend, Brian Butts.
It was a fun and laid-back Q&A interview to get the inside scoop on the music business! Ranging from various areas within the music industry, which includes the future of mp3 and its impact on the business as a whole, musicians themselves interested in pursuing a career in a very challenging and passionate field of work. Along with Brian’s generous encouragement and his vast musical knowledge as a piece of advice to aspiring and serious goal-minded musicians like ourselves!
My interviewee, Brian Butts, is a CSU East Bay c/o 2009 alumni within the musical department here at our university. As my friend, mentor, and client being interviewed not only as a midterm project fora college-level music course. But as a very informative and maybe inspirational music industry piece of writing, Brian currently works asa music instructor and contractor at Daly City and San Mateo County’s MusicArt Studios headquarters located in the Bay Area. Brian himself, also runs a producing role and musical occupation in a studio part-time and as a hobby. To help out, his social-networking of musicians and artists within the field of musical recording digitally. Brian is a multi-instrumentalist, proficient in such instruments including guitar and drums as his main tools of production and performance! dabbles a little in other musical instruments such as the piano and electric bass guitar.
A Chicago, Illinois native, having studied music at a local community college, alongside Jazz Studies. Brian Butts has been involved in various musical projects and rock/metal bands with others in terms of live performing and studio recording. Having graduated from Cal State East Bay about over a year ago, he still feels it’s not always easy to make a living in the field of music. But he knows like other aspiring musicians, can find opportunities in various fields of music, with or without a college degree at a university.
Brian feels, like many others in his profession, feels it is very difficult to make a decent living to cover the bare necessities in musical entrepreneurship and the field as a career. Still trying to pay off his college loans, and finding ways to balance the money inthe bank for important needs. Brian, as a college graduate, makes roughly $15,000 per year working as a teacher, producer and musical performer and recording artist locally in the Bay Area. College degree or not, he feels passion is what drives most musicians to pursue a living regardless of how hard it is to make a fair living right out of college, or as an independent musician generally without being signed to a record company as a music artist.
When asked about the differences between being an independent musician as opposed to being signed to a record company, Brian was uncertain about the means of making a living without being signed to a record company or major music distributor/publisher. Nowadays,anyone, millions even. Can self-promote and self-employ themselves getting their music out there through the Internet as independent artists. Given the fact, MySpace and many many other websites viaInternet can host a countless number of talented or non-talented musical groups and artists across the universe. “Everyone has the ability, to self-produce, self-distribute and self-market,” Brian implied.He also queried, “There’s lots of talent out there, but who’s listening to these people?”
While, music is a very challenging business to break fortune and fame either way, Brian separated the differences between being independent to being a person or group actually signed to a record label. Independents are able do work creatively to a great amount, and profit only comes through how much painstaking work and progress one puts into it. Whereas, record labels offer the big so-called “exposure” as not the artist worries about profit, whereas the record label does. And in fact, artists are told what to do once signed a big lucrative recording and performing contract within the realm of major or independent labels for musicians.
In recent years, mp3 and the Internet has hurt the music industry and affected profitability over distributed music. Big record stores like Tower Records and its retailers globally are no longer in operation publicly. “I think the CD age is dying, as the mp3 is taking over. I think if you can sell an mp3 in an affordable, convenient ‘manner, the profitability of music will stay afloat,” he told me. I do think, like Brian mentioned, the mp3 and the Internet itself has indeed reshaped the distribution of recorded music. He feels, the music industry in terms of profit and money-making in distribution of recordings and other products, can survive to an extent with a reshaping and reconstruction of the Internet and mp3 as a music industry format, such as iTunes.
When exploring possibilities in the music entrepreneurship field, Brian thinks the roles and possibilities are endless. “Music is an abstract thing,” he says. He feels while, most of the greatest musicians themselves were doing it only as a hobby. He feels, the possibilities are available and accessible in a variety of fields. If one has passion to pursue what’s possible, there are those opportunities that come with one’s area of expertise musically. Brian feels that’s the case. there are many areas where a person can work in the field of music:teaching, retail, production, performance, recording arts, musicology,journalism, DJ’ing, talent scout, software and hardware development, and the list goes on…
Lastly, as a word of encouragement. Brian feels, musical career opportunities can be made if one makes music his/her own job. Such as opening a recording studio, rallying musical friends and connections, joining a musical union and etc etc. To separate the passion of being a working musician from hobby and serious passion in comparison to making money within the field of music itself. Brian leaves us with these words, “I couldn’t wake up everyday and do something like most people hated. I might be making only $15,000 a year, but it’s not bad for a first year out of college graduate! I’m lucky and I get to work in a very comfortable environment, and I pride myself in knowing I will do and play music with and like some real masters.”
Balancing musical money and passion might be two different things, but Brian feels no one should discouraged to pursue both methods as far as a career in music is concerned in various areas. My reaction as we concluded this interview session with Brian Butts,who’s been a mentor for my musical education and pursuit to a degree and friend also. Anything’s possible. Be passionate and explore.
